Shelter From The Storm (The Bare Bones MC Book 6)(28)

“A bud and breakfast. There’s an abandoned hotel up Mormon Mountain, you might have seen it when going up to Leaves of Grass. It’s been empty since the ’06 real estate crash. Cannabis friendly lodging is a huge industry now.”

“Also illegal in the eyes of the feds.”

“Yeah, but when’s the last time you heard them doing anything about it?”

“Uh, yesterday? I’m just saying watch what you’re doing, Pippa. I don’t want you jeopardizing your cover here. I’ve got mine. You’ve got yours. We each have a stake in not blowing each other’s cover.”

“Yeah, but I know nothing about your real story.” I stood, wiggling my hips to rotate the balls inside me. The effect was very mild. More like you just wanted to keep squeezing your Kegels to prevent the balls from rolling out. But I could see where becoming aware of them at all moments would enhance your arousal.

He pointed at the ground. “This is my real story. I abandoned all that when I left New Mexico. I still wire money to my brother from an offshore account, but I want even him to have plausible deniability, so there’s no way for him to find me. I’m sorry I couldn’t find your sister.”

“No, I understand. I can’t expect you to go clear around New Mexico to get a message to her. Tobias is on it. He might be able to send a message electronically so no one is in danger.”

He came closer. “Now, I don’t want you to run off doing anything stupid.”

I changed the subject. “Oh, that’s Maddie calling me.”

Fox read a text of his own while I answered my call.

“Pippa!” Maddie’s voice was full of urgency, and she wasted no time on niceties. “Some guy came into the tux rental store looking for you. Emily thought it was funny, you know? I mean, you barely know anyone in Pure and Easy since running from that horrible ex-husband of yours in San Francisco. She thought maybe he was your ex.”

“What did he look like?”

“Well, for one thing, he was black. For another, he was as huge as a football player. And his jaw seemed to be falling apart, like Jaws in James Bond.”

I knew for certain I knew no one like that, so my first thought went to the Jones cartel. My heart thudded once, twice, then proceeded to rapidly zoom. Was I having a panic attack? “That’s definitely not my ex. Maybe someone he sent.” That fit in with the bullshit story I’d been telling everyone about wanting to start a new life away from an abusive husband. “What did Emily tell him?”

“Well, she was skeptical, so she said you quit and she didn’t know where you went. Then he f*cking went behind the counter and grabbed her by the throat. You know, like he was going to strangle her.”

“What? Oh God, Maddie, I’m so sorry! It’s obviously some goon my ex-husband Russ sent. Is Emily all right? How’d she get rid of him?” Fox was listening avidly to me now, too. Had his text been about the same thing?

“She finally screamed that she was going to call the owner of her store, and the guy vanished. She got his license number off his Corvette so Tobias is running it, but we doubt he’ll come up with anything.”

“Probably stolen plates. Where is Emily now?”

“We’re at my house. I went down and got her. She’s a nervous wreck as you can imagine.”

“Okay, I’ll be right over. Poor Emily. I’m so f*cking sorry.”

When I hung up, Fox said, “Let me guess. Some giant African American bruiser went by the tux rental place.”

I was confused. “How’d you know?”

“A guy with a terrible dental plan?”

“Yes, his was riddled with holes.”

He nodded. “That’s from doing too much—or any, really—Krokodil. It eats away bone and muscle. They call it ‘cannibal heroin.’”

“But who the f*ck is he? He was looking for me.”

“He’s apparently an independent contractor name of Phil Din.” He gestured with his phone. “I was wondering too because I saw him watching us shoot archery the other day.”

“Right. Just watching us in the open, completely obvious.”

“Santiago Slayer knows him. Says he’s a real nasty customer, a vile son of a bitch, not pleasant like we are.”

“It must be the cartel coming to kill me before I can testify.” My brain felt like a giant eraser had been rubbed on it as I mindlessly walked to my small fridge and grabbed a beer. Going back, I took another one to hand Fox, but he declined. “Do you know the Jones cartel? Ortelio Jones? He’s the head of it. You must have run across them in your hitman business.”

“I’ve heard of them, yes. Listen, I want you to stay with Maddie and Ford. I’ve got a job to do out near Show Low, so I’ve got to take Wolf with me. But first I’m going to follow you up to Maddie’s. You should be safe while you’re at work since you’ve got a guard on the door at the dispensary, but take no chances. You’re coming to Nevada with me, right?”

“Oh hell yes, especially now. Fox, if some fellow hitman is coming to get me, I should tell my handler.”

“No. Don’t, not yet. Let me and Tobias figure out who sent this guy, where he is.”

I went up to Fox, put my arms around him, and laid my cheek against his chest. I squeezed him, but not too tight. Didn’t want to put the fear of God into him. I had the feeling that I was way more into him than he was into me. It was more than just sex for me, but I knew that was all it could ever be for him.